Britain warns it will go its own way on arming Syrian rebels

Britain has clashed with several major European Union countries after William
Hague threatened to let member states "go their own way" on arming
Syrian rebels.

A Syrian army soldier aims his weapon during a battle against opposition fighters in Syria's Homs provincePhoto: AFP

By Andrew Rettman, Brussels, Justin Vela in Istanbul and Con Coughlin

8:31PM BST 27 May 2013

With common European policy-making in jeopardy, the Foreign Secretary said the EU was denying the right to defend themselves to rebels who were "having every weapon that's ever been devised dropped on them".

A number of states led by Austria continued to oppose lifting an arms embargo, which expires on Friday, that would allow weapons to be supplied direct to rebels who are struggling to contain a resurgence by regime forces.

As negotiations dragged on, Mr Hague threatened to stop its renewal altogether, a move that would allow Britain, France and others to arm the rebels directly if they wish.

"Of course it is preferable for an EU policy to be able to continue," he said. "But for that we have to have sufficient agreement on the basis of that policy.

"We have tried on all previous occasions on this to make sure that there is still a common EU policy but if we can't have one in the future then each country will have to ensure it has its own sanctions or the sanctions regime will have to be reconstructed for the future."

Mr Hague was continuing to negotiate on Monday night on a compromise deal that would put off a final decision on the embargo for two months.

Britain and France believe that the situation in Syria is growing worse daily and that supplying pro-western rebels with arms will make it less likely that international jihadists will take over the revolution.

As the fighting becomes increasingly internationalised, Western military assessments shared with The Daily Telegraph suggest that Iran's backing for Syria has been a major contribution to President Bashar al-Assad's recent fightback.

Thousands of his troops are now said to have undergone training by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

Those troops, recently graduated from secret training camps staffed by 150 Iranian military advisers, have completed their training and are now taking a lead role in attacking the rebels.

The Assad regime is also receiving support from the Iranian-controlled Hizbollah militia based in southern Lebanon, particularly in the current battle for the town of Qusayr.

"Iran's contribution to the conflict could ultimately be a game-changer for the Assad regime," commented a senior military official.

Britain, France and the United States believe a lifting of the arms embargo, even though no firm decision has been made to send British weapons, would add to pressure on Mr Assad to make concessions at a planned peace summit in Geneva next month.

Mr Hague said: "It is important to show we are prepared to amend our arms embargo so that the Assad regime gets a clear signal that it has to negotiate seriously."

However the opposition itself remains divided on whether to attend the Geneva conference.

He is heavily backed by the opposition Syrian National Coalition. Selim Idris, the head of the opposition's formal armed wing the Supreme Military Council, circulated a letter to foreign ministers of EU countries, urging them to relax the ban.

"This decision must be taken if Syria is to be delivered from tyranny and helped in creating a stable and civic post-conflict society devoid of sectarian violence," the letter, shown to The Daily Telegraph, said. The coalition is meeting in Istanbul to decide whether to attend the peace conference, with the EU arms decision likely to be a significant factor.

Gen Idris accompanied John McCain, the former US presidential candidate, on a visit to rebel-held areas of Syria. Mr McCain has been a leading critic of President Barack Obama's refusal to arm rebels.

A group of five influential EU states, and many British MPs from both side of the House of Commons, fear that arming the rebels will boost jihadist elements.

John Baron, a Tory MP, said increasing weapons supplies would be "a mistake of historic proportions".

"It beggars belief, the idea that pouring more arms into this conflict could not or would not escalate the violence," he told the BBC. "But it could do something more dangerous - that is it could escalate the conflict beyond Syria's borders."

Austria also said it would exacerbate the situation. "We [the EU] just received the Nobel Peace Prize and to now go in the direction of intentionally getting involved in a conflict with weapon deliveries, I think that is wrong," said Michael Spindelegger, foreign minister. "We are a peace community. We would like to remain a peace community."